ACE is a nonprofit lender that makes loans to small businesses in Georgia. Each loan comes with free coaching from a business advisor. Its Women's Business Center gives coaching and training in English and Spanish.
SAGE is a community hub for the Sweet Auburn neighborhood in Atlanta. It offers loans and grants for local businesses and creative people, runs four community gardens, and holds monthly Saturday health and wellness gatherings. Its office is at 522 Auburn Avenue.
Invest Atlanta is the City of Atlanta's economic development agency. It helps businesses with loans, bonds, tax credits, and one-on-one office hours. Its site also has a section for homebuyers and homeowners. Its work is for places inside Atlanta city limits.
TruFund is a nonprofit lender with an Atlanta office. It offers small business loans and business advice to owners across Georgia. Its main focus is the 10-county Atlanta area, and it aims to reach women, minority, and disadvantaged owners.
The Center for Civic Innovation is an Atlanta nonprofit that helps residents understand local government and take part in decisions about their neighborhoods. It offers civic classes, public discussions, leadership coaching, and loans for eligible community organizations. It moved from Edgewood Avenue to the Prince Hall Masonic Building at 330 Auburn Avenue NE.
Inspiritus (once called Lutheran Services of Georgia) helps people whose lives have been upended. It helps new refugees and immigrants settle in, find jobs and get legal help. It also finds foster homes for children with serious medical or behavior needs, and host homes for people with developmental disabilities. After natural disasters, it helps families rebuild.
The Ke'nekt Cooperative is a Black-owned community space on Ralph David Abernathy Blvd in Atlanta. It runs a cooperative retail space for Black-owned businesses and offers business support. It also hosts weekly and monthly events, like tech help for seniors, community conversations and mindful walks.
Focused Community Strategies (FCS) works with neighbors in Historic South Atlanta and Thomasville Heights. It runs a neighborhood grocery store and café, repairs homes for seniors, helps build affordable housing, and supports small businesses. It also runs a youth group and a bike program.
Our Village United is a nonprofit based in Atlanta that works with small businesses across the country. It offers business programs with training, coaching, mentoring, and help with therapy and wellness. Some programs also offer seed grants and help winning contracts.
Village Micro Fund, also called VMF Collective, helps Black founders learn, build, and own businesses together. It runs a 15-week Flourish Fellowship, makes investments in Black businesses, and has a fund that helps employees buy the business they work in.
Start:ME Atlanta is a free small business training program run by Emory University's Goizueta Business School with local nonprofit partners. Owners in Clarkston, East Lake, the Southside and the Westside take weekly classes, work with volunteer mentors, and build a network. Graduates can also receive a grant chosen by their peers.
The Thomas W. Dortch, Jr. Foundation was started in 2005 in Atlanta. It works to build strong leaders in underserved communities. It offers mentoring, health and wellness, money skills, and business and entrepreneurship programs for students in Georgia.
S. Virgin Islands who farm in ways that care for the land. It gives grants to member farmers, runs field days and online calls to share farming skills, and helps farmers organize together. Farmers and farm supporters can apply to join.
ACE Women's Business Center helps people start and grow small businesses, with a special focus on women. It offers coaching, classes, online tools and information about business loans from ACE, a nonprofit lender. Services are offered in English and Spanish.
Nehemiah Project CDC is a nonprofit that helps low-income families in metro Atlanta with housing, jobs and money skills, and health. It makes free home repairs for seniors and others, including free plumbing fixes through the Care and Conserve program. It also offers help for small businesses, job training, and workshops.
Fearless Fund is an Atlanta venture-capital firm that supports women of color building growing businesses. Eligible business owners can pitch for investment and find loan options; the group has also offered training, mentoring, grants, and entrepreneur events.
Georgia Organics is a statewide nonprofit that backs organic farmers and community allies who build a local food system. Farmers can join, then apply for coaching, grants, health insurance help, cost-share and group buying. It also holds farmer field days and webinars.
S. Small Business Administration is a federal agency that helps small business owners and people hurt by declared disasters. It offers low-interest disaster loans, backs loans made by lenders, and has programs for veteran business owners. It also points owners to free business counseling.
S. Department of Agriculture. It helps farmers and ranchers with farm loans, disaster aid after storms, floods or drought, and conservation and farm programs. Services are delivered through local county service centers, so you contact the office that serves your county.
Accion Opportunity Fund is a nonprofit lender for small business owners. It offers loans, free advising from business coaches, and free online money courses. Businesses based in Georgia can apply for its loans online or by phone.